Anthro 256H Spring 2014 Tuesday and Thursday 1- 2:15 Machmer Hall Rm. E33 Prof. Sonya Atalay **This is a General Education course meeting two GenEd designations -- Social & Behavioral Sciences and Global Diversity.** Pig brains, coffee from digested cat feces, and deep-fried scorpion are all on the menu for our examination of food preferences, delicacies, taboos and other cultural engagements with food. At first glance, the ingredients may seem quite bizarre. Yet no matter how unusual the foods or method of preparation, the simple acts surrounding eating are intricately linked to culture, identity, politics, economics, and so much more. Through in-class activities, group work, and illustrated lectures (including segments from hit TV shows ‘Bizarre Foods’ and ‘Without Reservation’) this course examines "bizarre foods" and the cultural links they involve. We will examine foods in our own ‘backyard’ – you’ll learn the ingredients of a Twinkie, explore local meat production, and reflect on how bread and wine transform into ‘body and blood’. We will consider hunger, cannibalism, and dumpster-diving ‘freegans’; and explore ways that people from Amherst to Zamboanga are working to preserve their food cultures. In addition to introducing you to a range of bizarre foods from around the globe, this course provides training in core anthropology concepts and key research skills. These core concepts are central to an understanding of anthropology, and by the semester’s end you’ll have a strong command of these cornerstones of anthropological thought and practice. The key research skills will be of use in other classes, within and beyond anthropology. You will research and organize a presentation for a campus-wide ‘Bizarre Food Fair’ to be hosted by our class at the end of the semester. You’ll be encouraged (but not required) to find, try, and share 'bizarre foods' in the Amherst area. Learning Objectives This course meets two GenEd designations – Social and Behavioral Sciences and Global Diversity. After taking this course you will: • Understand four fundamental (core) anthropology concepts and how these frame anthropological inquiry • Reinforce key research skills and gain hands-on experience applying core anthropology concepts to food- related research questions • Recognize the diversity of foods and foodways in locations around the world. Trace similarities among these diverse food practices and find areas of shared experience in your own life (and be able to understand the complex reasons for any differences that exist) • Recognize the benefits of preserving diverse food cultures globally. Identify barriers groups face in doing so 1 • Improve oral and written communication skills and increase ability to critically evaluate your own and others’ research and writing • Improve your ability to work collaboratively and conduct research among a group The GenEd learning objectives for the course are listed in the table below along with an explanation of how we will meet these objectives in the course. Content Critical Thinking Communication Connections Address fundamental Develop creative, Develop skills in Gain experience questions, ideas, and analytical, communicating applying and methods of analysis quantitative, and persuasively and integrating methods of in the humanities and critical thinking effectively orally and in analysis in the social social sciences. You through inquiry, writing. You will do this sciences to real world will do this through problem solving, by conducting research problems and contexts. weekly core concepts and synthesis. You on a food topic, You will do this in in anthropology will do this through preparing a public your written work and writing assignments. daily in-class research poster or other your food fair research assignments in product that highlights by considering the which you consider your work, and giving impacts of how foods from an oral presentation globalization on cultures across the about the research at the heritage foods and globe food fair. peoples’ efforts to preserve their food Develop pluralistic Develop skills in traditions. perspective-taking working effectively and and awareness of collaboratively (in Develop pluralistic the relationship groups, across perspective taking and among culture, self, perspectives). You will an awareness of the and others. You will do this by working to relationship among do this in each class plan and carry out a culture, self, and period through bizarre food fair final others. You will do this comparative project with your class regularly as you analysis of the colleagues. You will consider and discuss foods people in work as a team to help the ways peoples’ food cultures around the organize the food fair experiences around the world, finding and determine how it globe compare to each similarities between will be organized. other and to your own. them and with yourself. Instructor Information Dr. Sonya Atalay Office: 202 Machmer Hall. Office Hours: Tuesdays 9:30-11:30 Mailbox: 201 Machmer Hall Phone: 413-545-2652 Email : [email protected] Required Books and Reading -- Adventures in Eating: Anthropological Experiences in Dining from Around the World. Authors: Helen Haines and Clare Sammells (2010) -- Consuming the Inedible: Neglected Dimensions of Food Choice. Authors: Jeremy MacClancy, Jeya Henry, and Helen Macbeth (2007) All other readings will be available through Moodle. If you do not see a particular reading, please notify me by email. 2 Points, Grading, and Requirements Grading Points to Grade Preparation & participation 130 points A = 930 – 1000 Core Concept pages 70 points each x 3 (210 points total) A- = 900 – 929 Research Skill Reports 70 points each x 3 (210 points total) B+ = 870 – 899 Midterm Exam 200 points B = 830 – 869 Bizarre Food Fair 250 points total B- = 800 – 829 -------------------------------- -------- C+ = 770 - 799 TOTAL COURSE POINTS 1000 C = 730 - 769 C- = 700 - 729 D+ = 670 - 699 D = 630 - 669 F =< 629 Preparation and Participation (130 points) Since a large portion of our class time will involve discussion, group work, and brief writing activities related to the assigned readings, it is critical that you come to class prepared to engage with your colleagues about the readings and lecture material. You are expected to read the assigned material prior to class and come prepared for in-class activities in which you will consider and compare material from the readings and class lecture material. It is evident when a student has not done the reading. To get an ‘A’ in this class you must do the reading and participate on a regular basis in class discussion. If you skip multiple classes, are consistently unprepared or don’t regularly engage in discussion you will receive low points for preparation and participation and it will have a negative impact on your grade. Research Skills and Core Concepts Assignments (420 points total) In the course description you will notice that, in addition to introducing you to a range of bizarre Foods from around the globe, this course is designed to provide you with training in core anthropology concepts and research skills. The core anthropology concept topics we focus on (there are 3) are central to your understanding of the discipline. You will encounter these concepts repeatedly in any future anthropology courses you take; and by the end of this course you will have a strong command of these cornerstones of anthropological thought and practice. The Research Skills (3 in total) you learn in this course will be of use in other classes; those in anthropology and beyond. They will serve you well in nearly any future career, and once mastered, they form the basis for life-long learning in any discipline Throughout the semester we will focus on one of these research skills or core anthropology concepts. During class meetings, you will gain experience with these skills/concepts through individual and group activities. The syllabus lists the due dates and corresponding skills/concepts assignments. Specific assignments vary, but in all cases, the assignment requires you to submit a 1-2 page MAXIMUM report. Your 1-2 page reports are due in class. I will not accept late reports – you will receive a 0 if you do not submit the report on time. No exceptions! If you are absent on the day the report is due, you will need to arrange to submit the report to my office mailbox (200 Machmer Hall) the same day the report is due, by 10:30am or I will not accept it. Midterm Exam (200 points total) There will be a take-home midterm exam that will consist of multiple choice, fill in the blank, and essay questions. Your essay responses should be typed and printed out, NOT written by hand. The exam will be passed out in class on Thursday, February 27 and will be due in class on Tuesday, March 4. The exam will focus on material presented in lecture, the readings, and during class discussions. To do well on the exam, you will need to be able to provide examples from the readings. I suggest you develop the following practice: as you are reading the course material each week, write a brief summary of each article (less than a paragraph is usually enough) and familiarize yourself with the author’s name and date. These notes will be useful for your midterm exam and for your final project (bizarre food fair research poster). Important note: The midterm will also include questions/problems related to the research skills and core concepts. Food Fair Research Report As you prepare your research and presentation for the bizarre food fair, you will have an opportunity to present your preliminary results to the class and to share a draft of your product (poster, wikipage, video, etc.). I’ve set aside three class periods (April 15, 17, and 22) in which each of you will provide your classmates with a report of your research.